Russia clamps down on WhatsApp and Telegram over data sharing

Calls via foreign-owned platforms curbed as critics say Kremlin is pushing for greater control over Russia's internet

Russia has announced restrictions on the messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases.

Moscow has clashed with foreign tech platforms for several years over content and data storage in a simmering dispute that intensified after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Critics say Russia is trying to expand its control over the country's internet space.